Nepal floods: Red Cross launches $31m appeal

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies has launched a $31 million emergency appeal after flash floods and landslides struck the Nepal-Tibet border.

The Switzerland-based IFRC said the appeal, worth 25 million Swiss francs, will fund emergency disaster response and support medium- and long-term recovery over the next two years. It came a day after the federation released one million Swiss francs for the immediate lifesaving response.

IFRC secretary general Jagan Chapagain said in a statement that whole villages had been washed away and that needs were expected to grow as assessments continued.

The disaster hit on Wednesday, when a wall of freezing water and mud swept through towns, engulfed homes and damaged bridges and dams.

The IFRC said current estimates suggest about 93,000 people may have been affected, while assessments continue in hard-to-reach areas. It said damaged infrastructure and the remoteness of affected areas were making it harder to assess the full scale of the disaster and deliver aid.

The appeal will support Nepal Red Cross teams with shelter, cash assistance, household relief items, water, sanitation and hygiene support, mental health and psychosocial support, and efforts to restore family links. The IFRC said Nepal Red Cross crews have already provided food, water, tarpaulins, blankets, first aid kits, stretchers and body bags.